Martin Jonikas

Martin Jonikas is a Professor of Molecular Biology at Princeton University and an Investigator of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI). His research focuses on the biogenesis, function, and engineering of the pyrenoid—a phase-separated organelle in eukaryotic algae that enhances CO₂ fixation. He leads a dynamic research group at the Jonikas Lab, advancing fundamental cell biology with implications for agriculture and climate change mitigation.

Education:

• Ph.D. in Molecular Biology and Genetics, University of California, San Francisco
• B.S. in Aerospace Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Jonikas's research lies at the intersection of molecular biology, cell biology, and synthetic biology. His lab investigates how the pyrenoid forms via liquid-liquid phase separation, how it organizes Rubisco and other carbon fixation components, and how this knowledge can be leveraged to engineer crops with enhanced photosynthetic efficiency. By developing genome-wide mutant libraries in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, his team enables large-scale functional genomics in photosynthetic organisms.

His recent publications reveal a strong trend toward understanding the spatial organization of chloroplasts, the structural basis of organelle assembly, and computational modeling of CO₂-concentrating mechanisms. These works combine cutting-edge techniques such as cryo-electron tomography, interactome mapping, and high-throughput genetics.

Scientific Awards:

• 2023 Tsuneko & Reiji Okazaki Award, Nagoya University, Japan
• 2022 Melvin Calvin-Andrew Benson Award, International Society of Photosynthesis Research
• 2020 Vilcek Prize for Creative Promise in Biomedical Science
• 2016 HHMI-Simons Faculty Scholar
• 2015 NIH Director's New Innovator Award
• 2010 Air Force Young Investigator Award
• 2006 Graduate Course Teaching Award
• 2005 NSF Graduate Research Fellowship

Jonikas has secured significant funding from HHMI, NIH, and the Moore Foundation to support his research. His lab mentors numerous graduate students and postdoctoral researchers, fostering innovation in plant synthetic biology. He is actively involved in creating open resources for the scientific community, including mutant libraries and protein atlases.

The Jonikas Lab is a multidisciplinary team combining genetics, biochemistry, structural biology, and computational modeling to decode the principles of organelle organization in algae. The lab’s long-term vision includes engineering functional pyrenoids into crop plants to boost yields and address global food security challenges.